


The One Where Jean Gets Sick and Marco Feels Bad

by lifeguardinthesharktank



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Bigbrother!Reiner, M/M, Sick!Jean, Worried!Marco
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-24 23:50:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/946165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lifeguardinthesharktank/pseuds/lifeguardinthesharktank
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the flu hits the 104th hard and without mercy, Jean Kirschtein falls victim to the virus's power. All Marco Bott can do is watch helplessly as his friend is reduced to a shivering sobbing mess. One-shot, with a bit of Bigbrother!Reiner mixed in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One Where Jean Gets Sick and Marco Feels Bad

**Author's Note:**

> debating on making a series of fics like this, because writing hurt/sick Jean is fun. And I realized that I do Fall Out Boy titles.

Winter was coming and after their first year of training had passed, the members of the 104th now had some clue what to expect when the nights grew colder and longer. Winter brought about more snow and cold than many of the recruits had seen in their entire lives as well as other little nasty surprises. A bout of flu had hit several of the barracks harder than whatever bat shit insane exercise Keith had come up with. With Keith, however, some of the stronger trainees could get by without too much damage. The illness didn’t discriminate the weak from the strong the way Keith tended to do. Reiner Braun was just as vulnerable to the new microscopic enemy as tiny little Armin Arlet. 

It hit Bertholdt Fubar first, hard and without mercy. The cadet had been reduced to a sweating shivering mess and had collapsed during a training exercise. Reiner had to carry him to the infirmary. The nurses pumped him full of antibiotics and fluids and it was at least a week until Bertholdt was able to return to limited training.

After it had taken Bertholdt down so mercilessly, the panic had started to creep into the heads of those who shared a cabin with him. It hit the other boys with varying degrees of mercy to the point where Armin was blowing snot rockets for two days but Jean gave them a Bertholdt-level scare one night three days after Bertholdt had received full clearance. 

Jean had started out with an off-feeling during 3DMG training which by dinner had progressed into a fits of shivers. Marco kept glancing over at Jean, afraid that his friend would collapse at any minute. By the time the head officers had called lights out, Jean could be found curled up in his bunk wrapped in both his and Marco’s blankets.

Despite the extra layers, Jean was still freezing. It seemed as though the cold was coming from inside of his body and that there was no amount of warmth that could take care of this. As Jean drifted into an uneasy sleep, Marco had finally climbed into the bunk to reclaim his blanket. Jean had had the thing wrapped so tightly around his body, Marco was sure he would have to pry it off him.

“Jean,” Marco addressed his friend calmly. “Can I have my blanket back?”

“Make it stop,” Jean moaned in response. Marco looked at his friend with concern. Sure Jean could be a selfish ass, but he wouldn’t let Marco freeze in the drafty barrack.

Slowly and carefully, Marco put his hand on Jean’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Jean’s whole body was shaking under the blankets.

“Jean,” Marco called again. This time worry was seeping into his voice. He placed the back of his hand on Jean’s forehead and both of his cheeks. His skin was glistening with sweat and felt hot to the touch. “Jean, wake up! You’re burning up!”

Marco shook Jean’s shoulder with a little more force this time. Jean still didn’t respond. Panic was starting to settle in Marco’s stomach.

“Reiner!” Marco yelled, climbing down off the bunk and bolting across the room. Reiner was sitting on his own bed, talking to Bertholdt about something. “Reiner I need help. I think Jean’s running a fever.”

Sharing a glance with Bertholdt, Reiner climbed out of his bunk and followed Marco across the room. He climbed up the latter and sat down next to Jean. Like Marco had down previously, Reiner felt Jean’s forehead and cheeks with his hand.

“Yeah,” Reiner confirmed. “He’s got a fever. But he’s sweating so it’s breaking.”

Marco breathed a sigh of relief. Reiner climbed down the ladder and clapped Marco on the shoulder. “Don’t worry; I won’t let him go to morning training tomorrow if he’s still got a fever.”

Marco climbed back up the ladder as Reiner crossed the room, got back into his bed, muttered something to Bertholdt, and pulled the covers over his head. Marco turned his attention back to Jean who was curled into a ball, shivering, and still had Marco’s blanket.

“Hang in there Jean,” Marco muttered. His head hit the pillow and he drifted off to sleep.

Marco was awoken several hours later by what he thought was an animal crying. He rolled over on his side and saw Jean in much worse shape than he had been hours ago. He was shivering harder and the blankets he had wrapped himself in were soaked in sweat. Marco heard Jean’s muffled sobs and felt his heart drop. Jean was absolutely miserable and there was nothing Marco could do to make his friend feel even a bit better. He scooted closer to Jean and wrapped his arm firmly around the mass of blankets that cocooned his friend.

“We’ll take you to the infirmary tomorrow,” Marco muttered in Jean’s ear. “We’ll get you better, just hang in there.” 

The next morning when the sun had risen over the barracks and the morning bells sounded Jean was, if possible, in worse condition than when he had accidently woken up Marco in the middle of the night.

“Hey Marco,” Reiner was already up and dressed. He stood at the bottom of the ladder leading up to the top bunks. “How’s Jean doing?”

“Worse,” Marco replied climbing down the ladder. Reiner glanced up at the blanket wrapped figure which 24 hours ago had been a perfectly normal Jean.

“You get dressed,” Reiner advised. “I’ll go get him. It doesn’t look like he’ll be moving on his own.” 

As Marco got himself dressed and ready for the day, Reiner climbed into the bunk once more and threw Jean’s body over his shoulders. By now the rest of the boys in the cabin had realized what was going on. As much as Jean was kind of loud and an ass, they didn’t want anything to be seriously wrong with him. Even Eren rushed to hold the door open for Reiner as he left. When the door had shut behind them, the battle broke out about who would be struck next.

Marco found it hard to concentrate on his lessons that day. Today consisted of mainly lectures and as Marco sat at his desk, his mind frequented the infirmary. He wondered how Jean was doing, if his fever had broken, and if he was able to get some actual sleep. It came as a relief when the lunch bell finally rang and Marco packed up his things and bolted from the classroom.

The infirmary was nearly empty and Marco found Jean quickly. He walked over to the bed at the end of the ward where his friend was laying and dropped his bag on the ground. Jean certainly looked much better than he had last night, and he didn’t appear to be shivering anymore. Again, Marco felt the Jean’s forehead and cheeks and was relieved to feel that he wasn’t burning hot anymore. So Marco pulled up a chair and took Jean’s hand in both of his own.

Jean’s eyes fluttered open at the touch and Marco quickly redrew his hands. He fiddled with them in his lap anxiously. 

“How long have you been here?” Jean asked. His voice was weak.

“About 10 minutes,” Marco replied. “I came right after the morning lectures, I was worried about you.”

“I feel like shit,” Jean muttered sinking back into his pillows.

“You were really bad last night,” Marco said wringing his hands together. “You kept shaking and crying. I felt so bad for you. There was nothing I could do to make you feel better.”

Marco bit his lip and fell silent. He reached out to touch Jean’s hand but once again drew it back.

“Are you ok?” Jean asked Marco. Marco nodded but didn’t say anything. He could feel his eyes burning as the tears threatened to spill over. Jean sighed. “Marco if you keep crying like a little bitch, you’re never going to make it into the military police.”

Marco laughed and wiped the stray tears off of his face. Jean held out his hand and Marco reached out to hold it. Jean flashed a weak smile before settling back into his pillows and closed his eyes. Marco gently stroked Jean’s face and softly sang the song his mother used to sing to him when he was younger. Jean drifted off to sleep again and Marco picked up his bag to head out.

He got about halfway down the ward before he turned back. He looked at Jean for a second, debating whether or not to do what he was about to do. Checking to make sure no one was looking, Marco leaned in and kissed Jean on the forehead. 

“You just sleep for now,” Marco muttered. “You just get better, I’ll check on you after dinner.”

He straightened up and headed out of the infirmary, feeling as though a huge weight had been lifted off his chest. Marco made a mental note to thank Reiner later. He left the ward, closing the door behind him and wondering vaguely what they were serving for lunch.


End file.
